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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25971046">Of a step forward, of a step back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiri_Kaitou_Clover/pseuds/Kiri_Kaitou_Clover'>Kiri_Kaitou_Clover</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Coda: What is unseen [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime 2019), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Ash is tired, Ash wanting to keep Gou away from the bad, Gen, Gou is worried, Hurt/Comfort, Korrina and Gurkinn are very observant, SS025 - A Battle Festival Exploding With Life! VS Mega Lucario!!, Trauma, implied PTSD</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:08:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>996</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25971046</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiri_Kaitou_Clover/pseuds/Kiri_Kaitou_Clover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Returning to Kalos was not as easy as Ash presented to the world during the Shalour Battle Fest.</p>
<p>[Before meeting up with Gou to leave, both he and Ash have separate conversations with the two leaders of Shalour City]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gou | Goh &amp; Satoshi | Ash Ketchum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Coda: What is unseen [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>251</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Of a step forward, of a step back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This... isn't exactly the Gengar fic I promised. But with how far into the series I am (Episode 33 and I still have a bunch more ideas) I guess it's inevitable that I'd release this out of order. Either way, the return to Kalos and the ease at which Ash dealt with it, and the fact that no one brought up the Kalos incident meant that the episode was ripe for angst material.</p>
<p>So.</p>
<p>Have at it! And I hope you all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p>Ash breathed a sigh of relief, once he returned to the stadium locker room. The battle with Korrina had been the last one for today, and right now Ash was itching to just leave. Sure, Shalour was <em>not</em> Lumiose, but it had taken Ash a lot to even make the decision to return to Kalos in the first place. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>(It had taken Greninja reassuring him over their bond, over and over, and keeping it open the entire time, for Ash to feel at ease walking around Shalour, for Ash to keep focus on battling.)</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"Pikapi?" his partner asked worriedly, seeing Ash's exhausted face, while Riolu wondered, just why his human's Aura read as ready to flee.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Giving Pikachu a reassuring grin, Ash said, "I'm fine Pikachu. Today just wore me out. I wasn't expecting to face Korrina today after all."  </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Pikachu scowled at that though and Ash chuckled sheepishly, knowing that his partner knew what Ash had been feeling in that moment.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Then, Riolu's ears perked, feeling the Aura of someone else entering the room, and Ash looked up to see Korrina, a tired, but knowing smile on her face. At the door, Lucario stood watch, knowing full well this talk needed to remain between the two trainers.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"I had a feeling this was the case. You really weren't as okay as you looked," She sighed, sitting down next to him on the bench, "I was surprised you know, that you even came for the Battle Fest here. After what happened..."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>And Ash flinched at the reminder. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>(It was still fresh. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Too fresh. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Alola had helped so much but Ash felt as if he'd taken one step back the moment he'd learned the Battle Fest was in Kalos. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>It had been to the point that in the days prior to their trip, Ash had slept with Dragonite in the Pokemon park, hoping to avoid waking Gou with his nightmares. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>He didn't want Gou to know just how badly Kalos had affected him. He wanted Gou to stay positive about his choice to be a trainer, and not have to learn about the terrible consequences of humans messing with Pokemon and powers they should never touch. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>He knew it was inevitable, with Gou's goal, but he wanted to keep Gou away from those situations for as long as he could.)</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"Too soon?" Korrina asked sheepishly, and Ash could only let out a bitter laugh in agreement, "Still too soon."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Then Ash looked down, the normally cheerful trainer now downcast and exhausted, "You know, I spent the entirety of today just waiting for someone to recognise me. Waiting for someone to point me out as the one who had been a part of <em>that incident</em>. No one did. But I was still <em>waiting</em> for it to happen."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"You'd have to thank Diantha for that," Korrina gave him a wiry smile. "She kept everyone's involvement out of the papers and managed to remove all footage of the disaster that revealed any identities. I think at this point, only certain league operatives even know who had been involved."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"That's good, I guess," Ash hummed, looking up at the blank ceiling, Pikachu nudging his head into his hand and Riolu sitting himself in his lap, hoping to comfort their trainer. "I'm glad Kalos has healed you know? But I think it may take me a bit longer before I can set foot here for more than just a day or two. Today took way too much effort."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"I guess I should inform Clemont and Bonnie not to expect a visit?" Korrina asked.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Ash could only nod. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Korrina understood why. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"Ready to leave?" Korrina stood up, giving a hand to Ash. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>And Ash gave a weak smile as he took it.</p>
  </div>
  <hr/>
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p>"Strange," Gou muttered as he waited outside the stadium. "They're taking a while to come out, aren't they."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Gurkinn sighed as he looked at the doors, "My granddaughter is probably talking to young Ash right now."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"You did say you two knew him," Gou hummed, "Ash hasn't really told me a lot about the people he's met before. I keep learning things about him after it's impossible for him not to explain." </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"I wouldn't say we know him well, but Ash has changed a bit," Gurkinn mused. "My granddaughter mentioned it during the battle, but that boy was never one to be cautious in battle. Sure, that set up with the Hurricane blowing around debris to whittle down her Lucario was definitely in character for him, but the initial cautiousness in reaction to the Mega Evolution definitely wasn't. That Dragon Dance, although useful, could have easily cost him the match if he hadn't reacted accordingly after. Then again, with all that boy's gone through in this region..."</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>"What do you mean by -" Gou had begun to ask, but then Ash's voice cut through his thoughts and Gou looked up to see his friend walking out of the stadium, Riolu in his arms and Pikachu on his shoulder.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>The smile on Ash's face was enough to wipe away any thoughts about what Gurkinn had been saying. </p>
  </div>
  <hr/>
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p>But on the flight back, Gou woke briefly to see Ash twist and turn in his sleep, his face filled with fear as a nightmare kept hold of him. </p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>And Gou wondered just what had made Ash so terrified of Kalos, terrified enough to spend several nights away from their room before their trip, trying to keep Gou away from his nightmares.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>Gou knew not to ask, when they'd landed back in Kanto. Even if he worried when the next night in their room, he woke to find Ash missing once again.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>He worried, but he would not ask. Ash would tell him when he was ready. At his own time, like all the other things so far.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
    <p>(But deep down, Gou knew that this one story would be painful, for both Ash and himself, and that perhaps, he would never be ready to hear it.)</p>
  </div>
</div>
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